Where Not to Go in Mexico: The 16 Most Dangerous States

Due to "violent crime and gang activity," the State Department has warned people from traveling to the following Mexican states: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas. Eleven more states (Mexico has 32) have travel advisories in effect.

In 2018, there were a total of 33,500 murders in Mexico. So far in 2019, there have been more than 29,000 killings.

Incidents of Concern

• On April 23, 2020, an American couple quarantining in Mexico were killed in Juarez. The New Yorkers were in their car when it was fired upon.

• On January 6, 2020, an American family returning from Mexico was ambushed in Ciudad Mier in Tamaulipas. The assailants killed one family member, a 13-year-boy, and shot three others. Ciudad Mier borders Texas. Tamaulipas is a Level 4 state.

• On November 30, 2019, 21 people, including four police officers, were killed when the Cartel del Noreste staged a gun battle in the small town of Villa Union in Coahuila, about a hour from the U.S. Coahuila is a Level 3 state.

• On November 4, 2019, nine American Mormons living in Northern Mexico, including six children, were killed by gunmen while they drove from Sonora to Chihuahua, both Level 3 states.

• On October 18, 2019, a deadly gun battle broke out in Culican in the state of Sinoloa when Mexican authorities tried to arrest Ovidio Guzmán, one of infamous cartel leader El Chapo's sons. Several people were killed and Guzmán went uncaptured. Sinoloa is a Level 4 state.

Attending festival and concert events on the so-called Riviera Maya can be dangerous. There were more than 700 murders committed in the state of Qunitana Roo – where Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum are – in 2018. Howeover, there are no U.S. travel restrictions for the state at this time.

• Also in 2017, there were shootings at two clubs in Playa del Carmen. One person was killed in a cartel-related shooting at a club there on July 2 when three gunmen opened fire on the crowd. This followed the Jan. 16 club shooting in Playa that killed five and injured 15.